


All I Can Say, Is Thank You

by taegiradar



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Christmas, Feelings, Fluff, I guess???, Insecurity, Kinda, M/M, Not Beta Read, Post sex scene, Slice of Life, Song fic, They are in their 30s, Time Skips, Trauma, covid19 mention, dance instructor felix, here, i didnt explore felix as much as i wanted to but, science teacher minho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:41:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28241826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taegiradar/pseuds/taegiradar
Summary: Life was a willow and it bent right to your windHead on the pillow, I could feel you sneakin' inAs if you were a mythical thingOr; An exploration of the love Minho has for Felix, and the love Felix has for him.
Relationships: Lee Felix/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	All I Can Say, Is Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based off Thank You by Pentatonix. Listen to it during, or after reading <3

_Oh, it’s been a year_

_With little joys and little fears_

_It’s finally here, Christmas Day_

The year hasn’t turned out the way Minho thought it’d be. How _everyone_ thought it’d be. 2020 was supposed to be filled with hope, positive change - a brand new beginning. Minho had so many plans, plans that he had held back for years, but finally felt like 2020 was _the_ year. Goals, ambitions, and milestones that he wanted to reach, but all got ripped away from his grasp the minute he realized this pandemic wasn’t just going to simply go away. Maybe he was naive, maybe foolishly optimistic - but he just assumed this would all go away quickly. That they couldn’t possibly be having a serious pandemic now, right? That just seemed ridiculous.

But it’s December now, and Minho has adjusted more than he realizes to a new normal. A new life. A completely different daily routine. His life has been flipped upside down, just like everyone else’s in the world. Knowing that he isn’t the only one aching helps him get through each day. More than ever, he realizes it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to ache as much as he does. It’s okay to fear as many things as he does. 

Going outside is scary now. Everything is a risk. Doing simple tasks, ones that Minho didn’t even think twice of before - all needed to be changed, readjusted. Small changes, little fears that he has to live with every day. He can never be _too_ careful. There’s no such thing when the world feels like it’s doing a self cleanse. Every time Minho goes home, he has to hope that he doesn’t bring an unwanted visitor along with him.

Because at home, waiting for him, is the one reason Minho is still here. The one reason why Minho chooses to live through each day, go through the instability of his job, the uncertainty of it all.

At home, there’s Felix.

_My love, I need some hope_

_A little faith, a hand to hold_

_It’s awfully cold_

Minho met Felix 3 Decembers ago, back when his school held holiday dance classes for their students. Minho had brought up the optional class to the school’s principal at the time, wanting a little extra-curricular activity for his students who didn’t have the best relationship with the holiday season. It wasn’t like he had much to do himself, anyway. He had handled the logistics and admin of it all, reaching out to dance studios within the small budget that the school granted him. Dance was special to him, he just hoped it would become something special to his students too.

It was the early days of December, a calming chill in the air. He was excited about the class, maybe even more than his own students. He sighed in relief as he entered the warmer dance studio, immediately removing his coat. He missed being surrounded by all this. The familiar layout of an empty room, wooden floors, and walls of mirrors. It brought back bittersweet memories he hadn’t let himself dwell on for a while. It felt magical, being in that room again. So magical, he almost didn’t notice the young man standing in it.

The first time Minho laid eyes on Felix, he immediately felt drawn to him. Maybe it was the foreign face, the freckles painting his skin, or just the fact that the younger had this _smile_ on him. A smile that looked like it could light up the entire room if needed. Felix had been shy as Minho introduced himself, mere minutes before the class was scheduled to start.

“Hello, my name’s Felix! I’m guessing you’re Mr. Lee?” Felix bowed, grin wide and eyes almost sparkling.

The first thought that came to Minho was that he’s cute, with his endearing enthusiasm and over-formality. “Just Minho hyung is fine, Felix. Thank you again for agreeing to teach the kids over the holidays. I really appreciate it.”

The younger had blushed at that, and the same thought crossed Minho’s mind. He’s cute, in a way that made Minho want to protect him from all the evils of the world. Even though he knew Felix wasn’t that much younger than him, it felt like he was so pure, naive. Minho understood that he was judging him entirely based on a single interaction - but that just made him want to learn more about the person in front of him.

With a smile, Felix had nodded. “It’s no problem. I just hope the kids start loving dance as much as I do, _Minho hyung_ .” Hearing his name being said with a voice like Felix’s - deep, rough, and nothing like Minho expected - sent a jolt of _something_ run through Minho. He thought that was it. He assumed that was just a one-time thing.

But then Felix started dancing.

Minho, who stood at the back of the room, could only stare ahead. Eyes focused on the freckled boy, following every move from head to toe. Felix was freestyling, but every movement that came out of his body was intentional. It had meaning, reason - purpose. Every flick of the finger, every rotation of the head, every single step forward. It sparked something inside of him, an urge, a desire that he thought had been long gone. For the first time in a while, Minho could faintly picture himself there, once again. Mirroring every move Felix made, as if it was all precisely choreographed. Minho had been awestruck, unable to look away even when the students started strolling in.

Minho thought Felix’s smile was bright before, but when the students started running in, filling the room with an excited buzz - his smile grew and almost blinded him. Minho had watched silently as Felix immediately connected with the children, his own child-like personality instantly being a hit with the young kids. It had taken a while for Minho himself to connect with his students when they first met, but now seeing Felix - he realizes some people are just born for this. Felix had this charm to him, one that drew Minho in himself - that just simply made him likable. The dazzling smile, the overwhelming kindness, and his genuinity. It all shined through to the kids, and as Minho watched from the back, still completely captivated - it shined through to him too.

_Watch the snowfall down like me sometimes_

_But you pick me up and then pick me up again_

_Like the winter leaves, I can't survive_

_Without your light_

What Minho learned, over the short 3 weeks of lessons - was that Felix is persistent. He was persistent in the way he kept improving lesson after lesson, in the way he never gave up on any of the students - and in the way he never stopped encouraging Minho to _dance_.

It only took the lesson after the first for Minho to tell Felix that he used to dance, a fact about himself that he has never told anyone who wasn’t involved in that part of his life. Something about Felix made him want to tell him everything, including his secrets and fears. Felix made Minho want to return the same genuinity the younger constantly showed, completely willingly. He forgot how it felt to be this open and shamelessly honest. The feeling he used to be so accustomed to, specifically whenever he danced. When he allowed the music to take over his body, and nothing else mattered. When he was truly, unabashedly himself.

“Hey, hyung. You alright?” Minho hadn’t realized Felix was even in front of him. It took a few seconds for him to refocus to the present, where Felix was waiting patiently for his answer.

Minho would usually nod, and brush it off as nothing big. Make up an excuse or two.

“I just wish I never stopped.” But with Felix, it’s different. It always feels different with Felix.

The class had ended 10 minutes ago, the students long gone and the lively atmosphere in the room replaced with calming silence. Outside, the snow falls gently.

“Come here.” Felix gently takes Minho’s hand, leading him right in front of the mirror. Minho just let his body follow.

He looks at himself in the mirror, standing next to Felix - beautiful, delicate Felix. He feels like a contrasting image, the very opposite of him. Like he is some sort of imposter. Felix pressed play on his remote, and a song Minho doesn’t recognize starts playing softly. The rhythm is slow, far from intimidating. Something Minho could easily sway to.

Felix still has one hand around Minho’s right. He gives it a small squeeze. “You can always start again, Minho.”

He doesn’t think he can. If he could, he would’ve tried long ago. “I can’t, Felix. You can keep trying, but I just can’t.”

“No, Minho. You can. You’re just too afraid to try.” Felix says with certainty that Minho struggles to find in himself, even now. He’s right, he is absolutely right - but it doesn’t mean Minho appreciates the bluntness.

“We barely know each other, Felix. How can you be so confident?” Minho can feel himself slipping again. Slipping into a mindset he comes here to forget about. Into closing himself off to the one person that seems to be reaching his hand out.

Felix moves to face Minho, now taking both hands in his. Minho just only realizes how cold his hands are. (That, or just how warm Felix is.) “We may have only known each other for a week, but it’s so clear to me, hyung. Every single time you step into this room, you get this sparkle in your eyes. Every time you see the kids dance, every time you watch _me_ dance - you have a look on you.” Felix pauses, bending down so he makes direct eye contact with Minho’s downcast ones. “A look that tells me you want to be up here too.”

Minho feels raw, exposed. More than he has ever felt in _years_. Felix is able to read him almost perfectly - which honestly scares him. He’s afraid of being this vulnerable to someone again, of letting another person see his weakness almost as clear as day.

“Try for me? Please?” Felix is so earnest. The kind that radiates off his very being, and Minho can’t help but be affected. That hopefulness, the heartfelt trust Felix has in him, manages to seep through Minho’s walls. For the first time, Minho believes he can try.

So he closes his eyes, feels the room fade away - and lets the music overtake him. Every hit of the drum, the texture of the sounds, the syncopated beats. He focuses on that, and only that. His mind whirls, going on auto. Immediately it paints a picture, one that is created from years of sweat and tears. Then slowly, but surely - Minho uses his body to paint that picture in his head.

Felix watches in awe, as Minho appears to transform in front of his very eyes. As someone who has been teaching dance for years, it’s easy for him to spot people who were made to dance. Who embodies every move like it comes from deep within their soul. He’s seen so many of them, dancers who are so remarkably talented it blows Felix away.

But Minho. _Minho_.

He hasn’t danced in years, and yet it seems like he never stopped. Like it came as naturally as breathing was to him. There are talented dancers - and then there are people who seem to be born with dance. Like it’s what they were put on this earth to do. Minho still has his eyes closed, completely lost in the music and the movement his body paints out. He doesn’t see how breathtakingly beautiful he is. He doesn’t see what Felix sees, and doesn’t see the exact moment Felix started falling in love.

As the music fades to an end, Minho finally opens his eyes. He’s dazed, eyes out of focus. It dawns on him, then. For the first time in years - he danced.

His voice is hoarse as he speaks up again, barely able to form words. “D-Did I just-?” Tears start forming in the corners of his eyes, his entire body overwhelmed with emotion.

“Yeah. You did.” Felix says, breathless.

The look Minho gives Felix now doesn’t go unnoticed. The gratefulness in his eyes, the same earnestness radiating off Minho. The older looks at the mirror again, and suddenly everything seems different.

He’s no longer an imposter. In that moment, it feels like they’re a reflection of each other.

Felix shined on Minho, and he grew.

_Thank you for your smile_

_It's warmer than the fire_

_Your gentle laughter_

_Is sweeter than a choir_

It didn’t take long for Minho and Felix to completely fall for each other. It felt magical to Minho, almost like it’s a fairytale. But it isn’t - it’s real. Minho knows this because if it was a fairytale, if it was too good to be true - he wouldn’t be here, 3 years into their relationship, cuddled up with Felix and watching cheesy Christmas films. He wouldn’t be able to feel Felix’s heartbeat against his hand as he hugs him tight from behind, grounding him.

If this wasn’t real, Minho would not have been able to feel his heart grow impossibly warmer as Felix turns to him, catches him staring - and smiles.

“What are you looking at me for? Watch the film, dummy.” Felix says with so much affection in his voice, that it’s unquestionable.

Minho doesn’t say anything for a while, just continues taking his time to admire everything about his sunshine. A smaller but still as meaningful smile plays on Minho’s lips. “You’re a lot more interesting.”

Felix laughs at that, and the butterflies in Minho’s tummy wake up in a frenzy. Even after all these years, little things like this still make Minho fall in love all over again.

“You know just about anything can be more interesting than this cliche, overplayed Christmas film that's the definition of corny, right?” Felix teases, loving the way Minho rolls his eyes playfully.

Minho moves his hand to run along Felix’s jaw, slow and gentle. “You’re more interesting than anything in the world.” And just for extra measure (because he can), “Even Soongi, Doongi and Dori.”

Minho watches almost in slow motion, as the corners of Felix’s eyes crinkle, his nose scrunches up, and he laughs. He laughs, so _so_ loud, and Minho cannot even try to not join along. They’re laughing, pure and unfiltered happiness beaming out of both of them. It makes Minho feel so lucky to be in that situation. To have the absolute honour of hearing Felix laugh like this, up close, entirely because of him. There are so many parts of Felix, aspects of him, that Minho and _only_ Minho will ever know. It makes him feel special.

Felix laughs until his eyes water, and surprises Minho by placing a quick kiss on his lips. (Another thing that makes Minho feel extra special.) “I’m honoured.”

Felix says it like he’s joking, but they both know how much Minho would give up for Felix. Maybe not his cats (because they take up as much space as Felix does in his heart), but it means just the same.

They kiss after that, soft and slow. They kiss like it’s their first time, shy and hesitant. They kiss like it’s their 100th, knowing every sweet spot, practiced and familiar. They kiss until their lips turn red, but without a care in the world. They just want to love, love and _love_. They shower each other with words of affection, praises and countless ‘I love you’s. It doesn’t feel enough (it’s never enough), but they make do.

They have all the time in the world to make sure it _does_ become enough.

_I'll never know_

_The right words to choose_

_So all I can say_

_Is thank you_

“What are you making?” Minho asks softly, morning voice still rough. He looks into their kitchen, watching Felix move around, extremely energetic for 9 in the morning.

Felix turns, and it’s that smile that makes Minho feel like he’s the only person in the world. The smile that makes it seem like Minho’s presence alone makes Felix infinitely happy. (It does.)

“I’m making gingerbread cookies for us and auntie.” The excitement in his voice is contagious, because that’s how Felix is. Felix and his gigantic heart and giving soul - one that Minho will always be in awe of.

Minho moves to sit across Felix on their island table, just as the younger places the bowl of batter on it. “She’s gonna love this.” The old woman that lives across from their apartment is almost like family to them. She has been living there for ages, and when Minho and Felix first moved in, she immediately took them under her wing and treated them like her own. She would constantly bring over homemade meals, buy them flowers, and cheered their relationship on like their biggest supporter. They became close over the years, and sometimes Minho would even go over when Felix wasn’t home to watch baking shows with her. (Her favourite.) It was endearing, so _nice_ , to have someone older still doting on them like that, when both their families are far away (Felix’s more than Minho’s). They’re full-grown adults, people in their early 30s - but it never hurts to be treated like children sometimes.

Minho watches as Felix starts rolling the dough out, cookie cutters of all sizes spread across the table. He observes Felix’s movement, how gentle he is when cutting the dough into shapes. Everything Felix does just screams _Felix_ \- kind, gentle, so unbearably cute. Once Minho understands how to do it, he follows. He grabs another cookie cutter, and starts working on his side of the dough. It’s not as clean of a cut as the practiced ones from the younger, but it’s good enough. He puts his full concentration on it, completely missing how Felix has stopped and is just now staring at him.

He does realize, when he sees that his pile of cut out gingerbread man is significantly more than Felix’s. He looks up and blushes under his gaze. “Am I doing something wrong?”

Felix shakes his head, fond smile never leaving his lips. “Just… Thank you.”

Minho tilts his head, the way Felix always says reminds him of a kitten, confusion painting his face. “For what?”

“For doing this.” Felix says simply.

Minho is still confused. He doesn’t think helping cut out some gingerbread men warrants a thank you as weighty as that. “You’re welcome?”

Felix doesn’t explain himself, even after the questionable welcome. He puts the gingerbread men on the tray, puts them in the oven, and cleans up the kitchen while waiting. He leaves Minho confused, still sitting on the kitchen island.

Only later, when they ring on their neighbour’s doorbell and she comes out, beaming at them - that he starts to understand.

“Oh dear, thank you so much boys! Felix, these smell amazing.” She says.

Felix beams back, smile bright and shining. “Minho helped, auntie.”

“Minho? You?” Minho starts to feel shy. “The same boy who always complains how tedious baking is whenever we watch baking shows together?” She teases.

Minho understands then. He knows what Felix meant.

“It’s Felix, auntie. It’s different.”

_We fell into the snow_

_And talked about growing old_

_So here's to a hundrеd more Christmas days_

_This house will be our homе_

_And my heart will be your own_

_As the candles glow, Christmas day_

The word ‘forever’ has always scared Minho. Forever is a promise that’s impossible to fulfill. A wish that will never come true. Forever means there’s no end.

Minho’s habit of not letting people in never truly went away. He got better - so much better after he met Felix, but sometimes the same worries and defensive actions come back like an instinct. He knows now to tell Felix when he starts feeling like this, because it’s much easier to have someone else telling you it’s okay, when all your head is doing is convincing you anything but.

“Do you think it’s bad that I’m still not over it? After all these years?” Minho asks on a much colder night, mere days before their 2nd Christmas together. They’re just lying in their newly bought bed, enjoying each other’s presence. Watching the snow raging outside.

“You know it’s only been 8 years since you first stopped dancing, right?” Felix traces along Minho’s hands, gentle and soothing.

“That’s a long time.” It’s _too_ long, Minho thinks.

“Yeah, but at that point, you had been dancing consistently for 15 years.” Felix looks up to Minho, backlit by the streetlights outside the window. Ethereal. “You have to give yourself the same amount of time to heal as you spent hurting.”

Hurting. 15 years of dancing, of feeling free and in tune with himself - but always dancing for someone else. Doing what everyone else wanted from him. Doing the routines everybody expected from him. Unknowingly getting invested in a part of him that he loved, truly and genuinely - but was always partly fake. Not that he didn’t love dance - he just never got to dance for himself.

Minho started dancing aged 10, back when he blissfully followed anything everyone told him. Back when he trusted whatever anyone said, and assumed their thoughts and feelings were also his. Years and years of being put into intense dance classes, into countless competitions, into performances that he didn’t even really truly wanted to do. He just followed everyone, got swept up in everything - the buzz, the hype and all the tense competitiveness. He would learn dances day in and day out, memorizing the moves of the instructor in front of him. The one person who seemed to have all the answers, who seemed to know what’s best for Minho. He respected and admired him to a level that was honestly unhealthy, but he didn’t realize it. He didn’t know back then, back when he was so naive and trusting - but that instructor was everything an instructor shouldn’t be. For years, Minho would come up with his own choreography, think of little improvements to current choreography and have so many ideas he was eager to share. He had so much passion for it that it constantly overflowed. But every single time, without fail - the instructor would dismiss him. Dismiss his ideas, his suggestions, his wants. For years, without knowing, he was forced to believe that everything he thought was just _wrong_. Not good enough. Not worthy.

It took years of that and his instructor laughing in his face after he performed an original choreography he spent months on, for Minho to break.

“15 years is so fucking long.” Minho doesn’t want to feel like this for even a second more.

Felix moves to entangle their hands together and gives it one single squeeze. “It’s long. But you aren’t going to go through it alone. Not anymore.”

Minho is grateful, but - “And what if I still don’t get over it after all that?”

“Then we just continue working through it. Taking each day at a time.”

Forever still scares Minho. The pain, the thoughts, and the struggle will continue forever.

But as he looks down at Felix again, and sees the amount of determination the younger holds in his eyes - he starts to accept his fear.

The pain might be forever, but Felix will be forevermore.

_Watch the snow fall down like you sometimes_

_But I'll pick you up and then pick you up again_

_Like our winter tree on Christmas night_

_It needs some light_

Despite Felix being 2 years younger, it never really seems like it. Maybe because sometimes Minho is too childish, or maybe because Felix is a lot more mature than he deems himself to be. Minho can forget, sometimes - that despite the cheerful and careful front he puts on for everyone, his mind is constantly filled with thoughts, worries, and expectations. It’s so easy to look at Felix and just assume that everything is _fine_ \- because he always says it is. Even with Minho, when Felix forgets he knows him well enough - he pretends.

It’s subtle, the way Felix hurts. It’s silent, almost entirely internal. He doesn’t mope around, he doesn’t stop doing the things he loves, he doesn’t stop smiling. But what Minho learned, is that the little changes are what matters.

So when on a random day in November this year, Felix goes to shower and Minho doesn’t hear him singing his heart out, he knows something is wrong.

“What time will you be back tonight?” Minho asks as Felix starts getting ready for his day. He stands up to hug Felix from behind - back hugs have always been the younger’s favourite. Simple, but effective.

“Late, probably. Around 9pm?” Felix mumbles out, distracted while doing his makeup.

Minho gives a soft kiss on his cheek, right where his freckles are. “Okay. Take care of yourself. I’ll see you tonight.”

Felix’s facade breaks a little, and his eyes go glossy for a single second. He realizes Minho knows.

“I love you.” Minho says, and even though they say it every day - Felix can tell it’s different now. That it means more.

Later that night, Minho cooks a late dinner, gathers all of Felix’s favourite plushies (you can never be too old) - and showers him with so much love it almost suffocates him.

“You know you don’t have to pretend with me, right?” Minho wants Felix to understand how much he cares. Just how much Minho loves.

Felix nods his head sleepily. It’s been a long day. “I know, hyung. I was just hoping it wouldn’t get this bad.” Felix’s favourite Disney movie is playing in the background, but they’ve long lost interest in it. “I didn’t want to complain to you about a problem that’s not really one, you know?”

Minho’s heart breaks a little then. “You think you need to have to be going through a _problem_ to tell me about it?” Has he not tried hard enough? Has he not shown Felix that he can tell Minho absolutely _anything_?

“It’s not that.” Felix sits up, and Minho follows. “I promise you, it’s not that. I just wanted to try to be stronger, you know? Like, I know I can tell you everything. I just don’t… want to?” He bites his lips, something he only does when he’s nervous.

Felix is nervous, in front of Minho.

“Hey. I’m not gonna force you to tell me anything. I want you to _want_ to tell me. If you don’t, if you just want to keep it to yourself - then that’s fine. I’ll accept that.” Minho cups Felix’s smaller face in his hands. “I trust you.”

That trust, the complete understanding that they both love each other enough - is what has been keeping their love this genuine and real. Felix knows Minho, and Minho knows Felix. That’s how it works. That’s how their invisible strings tie to each other.

“Thank you, for tonight.” Felix seems to shine again.

Minho places a small kiss on his forehead. “You’re the strongest person I know, Lix. Never forget that.”

_Spent all this time hanging lights_

_But I'm just blinded by your eyes_

_I look outside, the ground is white_

_But you and I should probably stay inside_

Their 3rd Christmas together and their 2nd in this apartment is far from what they ever imagined it’d be. The cheers are dulled, the lights are dimmed and the overall atmosphere comes across as miserable. The days that are supposed to be filled with friends, family, and bright laughter - is replaced by quiet nights at home and on-screen catch-ups. It’s not the worst thing in the world, far from it. It’s just different.

The couple tries their best to savour whatever they can of the Christmas spirit, mostly because of how special this time of year is to them. They decorate their apartment with fake Christmas trees, big and small. They hang stockings on their wall and a mistletoe on the ceiling of their living room (just because they can). They put up festive lights on their window, as they watch the white snow cover everything in sight. They listen to Christmas songs, dance under the moonlight shining through, and kiss until their lips bruise. They make love, soft and passionate, everything that their relationship is.

“You’re so beautiful like this.” Chest rising up and down, a thin layer of sweat covering his body and marks all over his skin. Marks Minho made, because something about seeing Felix spent like this, covered in proof of the heated night - settles his heart.

Felix chuckles, deep and rough. Minho feels almost undeserving to be able to see and hear him like this, but it’s a privilege that he keeps close to him. “Hyung, you say this almost every time we have sex.”

Minho lets out a small laugh too. “Because it’s true. You’re beautiful, stunning, pretty, heavenly, just so gorgeous.” He says in a mix of English and Korean. Trying his best to convey to Felix just how lucky he feels.

“You’re beautiful too, hyung.” Felix smiles so brightly, and the sparkle in his eyes put the lights they hung up to shame.

They stay inside, but really - it’s not where they are that matters. Being by each other's side means more than anything else in the world.

_Thank you for your smile_

_It's warmer than the fire_

_Your gentle laughter_

_Is sweeter than a choir_

“Hyung? What is this?” Felix turns around to face Minho from the kitchen. In his hand, a bright yellow sticky note is illuminated by the morning light.

The older tries not to blush, but his red cheeks betray him. “I have no idea, sunshine.”

Felix walks over to Minho who is sitting on the sofa, note still in his hand. He removes Minho’s laptop from his lap and sits there instead, giddy and so _so_ in love. “ _I'm like the water when your ship rolled in that night, rough on the surface, but you cut through like a knife. If it was an open-shut case, I never would've known from that look on your face. Lost in your current like a priceless wine._ ” Felix reads the note out, the note that Minho left on the refrigerator.

“Oh, that sounds so poetic. What a nice thing to find on the fridge.” Minho isn’t fooling anyone, he knows this. It’s just fun, simple - in the moment.

Felix looks between the note and Minho’s flustered state, smile growing each second.

“It’s actually a lyric fro-”

Minho gets cut off by Felix pressing a dizzying kiss onto his lips. “You thought of me while writing this down?” He knows the answer - it’s obvious. Yet, he still asks.

“Yeah. Every love song reminds me of you, you know that?” An understatement, really. Everything reminds him of Felix. The sun, the rows of flowers he passes by on the way to work, the shirt he wears that was an anniversary gift from him. Minho’s entire life is surrounded by Felix, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Felix looks at Minho, traces every feature with his small hands, and feels his heart swelling with love. He loves Minho so much, in ways that he cannot begin to describe. He loves all of him, every smile, every frown, every strong point, and every insecurity. He knows in his heart, that wherever Minho goes - Felix will follow.

In the whirlwind of a year that was 2020, their relationship was what held them to the ground. The year had tested them, poked holes in their clouds, and reminded them just how fragile the world is. Many things around them changed, but at the root of it all - _they_ didn’t.

“There’s beauty in all things destructive.” They’re now sat crossed legged, looking out their window. The snow had settled for the day, the night sky now clear. Two glasses of wine between them, and an undercurrent of anticipation bubbling through them.

“As much as I hated this year,” Minho continues on, “it still holds memories I’ll never forget.”

2020 was a tough year. But it’s surely an unforgettable one.

“Like what?” Felix prompts.

A flurry of memories flies through Minho’s head. The special dance class they organised for Minho’s new students earlier in the year. The dance competition that Felix won shortly after, and their celebratory nights spent in the countryside nearby. The nights they anxiously stared at the television, awaiting news about the situation. Celebrating their birthdays at home, together - but face-timing with family and friends they wouldn’t have talked to otherwise.

Thousands of memories he could pick from. But when Minho answers, it’s simple.

“Spending time with you.”

The fireworks go off then, signaling the start of a new year - and the end of the most difficult one yet. They share another kiss, because it feels special.

“Thank you.” Two words, simple and plain.

But behind them, a million emotions.

_I can't believe_

_This year you've got me through_

_The least I can do_

_Is thank you_

**Author's Note:**

> merry christmas! this is kinda a mess but i hope you like it.
> 
> (the lyrics from the summary and the note are from willow by taylor swift)
> 
> say hi on [twitter](https://twitter.com/eternitytrack) or [cc](https://curiouscat.qa/eternitytrack).


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